Scottie blinks. ‘You play?’
‘Only when someone deserves to lose.’
The lanky guy opens his mouth. I shut it with a headmistress-level stern look. Another of my specialities.
Scottie grins like this is the best part of his night. ‘Right then. What’s the wager?’
‘Fifty.’ I chalk a cue. ‘But if you’re skint, we can play for pride.’ I nod towards the lanky guy leaning against the table. ‘C’mon, big man. Let’s play. Just you and me.’
He scoffs. ‘What, so you can cry when you lose?’
‘No. So I can make you wish you’d kept your mouth shut.’
He shifts, about to answer?—
‘Naw,’ Scottie cuts in, stepping between us. ‘She plays me.’
I narrow one eye. ‘Is that so?’
‘Better game.’ He tosses me a cue. ‘Less mess, trust me.’
Scottie racks them with care, chalks his cue, sizing me up. I shrug and break. Two stripes drop in quick succession, corner and side. A clean split. The table opens up as if it’s on my side.
A low whistle from someone behind me. Scottie just nods.
‘Stripes,’ I say, cool and unbothered, and circle the table.
Next shot, clean. Third – banked off the cushion and in. I line up again. My grip’s sure and my tempo’s slow. In the end, it’s all muscle memory. Four, five, six – gone.
The room’s quieter now. Even Finn’s still.
I glance up, just once, meet Scottie’s eyes. ‘You keeping count?’
His beer stills halfway to his mouth, and he doesn’t answer.
Seven sinks with the softest kiss of felt. I straighten, and take my time chalking up for the black.
‘You’re letting me win, right?’ I say.
Scottie huffs. ‘Sure.’
I line it up. Gentle angle, centre pocket. My stance is solid and deliberate. No theatrics, I don’t need them. Cue slides. Tap. The eight ball rolls, slow and perfect, and drops like it’s been waiting for me all night.
Silence.
Then Finn, quietly behind me: ‘Fucking hell.’
I take my glass from his hands and a long sip from my juice, then rest the cue on the edge of the table. ‘That’s me warmed up. Who’s next?’
Someone mutters, ‘Hell no. Fuck that.’
‘Think we’re good,’ Scottie says, hands raised like I’m armed. ‘I, erm…value my ego.’
I flash him a tight smile. ‘Wise.’
But I’m not done, I want more. Another game. The buzz is electric and hot under my skin, and I haven’t felt this alive in over a year. There even was a time I’d have killed to go pro. But Dad had other plans, so that was that.
That’s when Finn sidles up beside me, close enough to count his breaths. ‘Didn’t know you had that in you.’
